Process for dyeing nylon



fastness on that fiber over the dispersed colors fiber from aqueous dispersions.

.dyeing, for the use of low temperatures does not Patented Apr. 17, 1945 PATENT OFFICE PROCESS FOR DYEING NYLON Donovan E. Kvalnes, Penns Grove, and Boyce G. Carson, Woodstown, N. 1., assign'ors to E. 1. du Pont de Nemours & Company, Wilmington, DeL, a corporation of Delaware No Drawing.

8 Claims.

This invention relates to 'the'dyeins. printing, 'stenciling and otherwise coloring of fibers, fila-I ments, threads, yarns, fabrics, films and other products made from or containing the new fiberforminglinear polymeric amides which are more 6 particularly described in U. S, Patents 2,071,250, 2,071,253, 2,130,523, 2,130,948, 2,174,527, 2,191,566 and Br. Patent 495,790 which fiber-forming linear polymeric amides will be referred to in the present specification and claims under the generic term, nylon.

In copending applications of Carothers 8: Godlove, U. 8. Ser. Nos. 289,909, 289,910, 289,911, the dyeing of nylon with dyes which have been. heretofore applied to cellulose acetate, wool, and silk is described and various articles have been published based on the inventions in the above identified applications and the work done by Carothers and Godlove describing the dyeing properties of this new fiber-forming polymeric amide which we will refer to as nylon. In all cases, however, the dyes employed are compounds which dye other fibers such as-cellulose materials, wool, silk or .related fibers. The water insoluble cellulose acetate dyes which have been found to exhibit desirable dyeing properties on nylon do not have the light fastness and wash fastness which is desired in many cases where the nylon fiber mightbeemployed.

It is therefore an object of this invention to dye nylon in even shades with color compounds which do not dye other fibers and which have heretofore been used as pigments but which [showafiinity' for nylon and exhibit improved light and wash of the cellulose acetate class.

It is a further object of the invention to-provide colored nylon in which the color compounds when they are applied to the fiber are water insoluble metallic complexes of unsulfonated monoamdyes.

Wehave foundthat nylon can'be dyed in strong 1 and level shades with water insoluble metallic complexes of mono-azo dyes whichare not sul fonated and which are therefore applied to the y We have also round that lower temperatures may be employedin the coloring of nylon with these water insoluble metallized mono-azo dyes for many of them have good afiinity for nylon at temperatures as low-as 170-190 F.- The use of these lower tem' peratm'es is particularly desirable in the dyeing ,oi pre-fabricated articles such as hosiery made of nylon which has been "set to shape? before Application February 8, 1941, Serial No. 378,062

cause wrinkling and the fixation of undesirable creases in a permanent set in the'nylon material.

In this application the expression dyed is used to, designate the application of the colored compounds to the nylon by a dyeing operation as distinguished from incorporation of 'thecolor compound into molten nylon prior to extrusion.

complexes of mono-azo dyes which are not sulfonated," we refer to those mono-azo dyes in which lake-forming groups are, present in the positions ortho to the azo-bridge such as -OH, -COOH, and NH2 which have been reacted with metallic salts of .metals' having an atomic weight of from 50 to 65.38 namely, vanadium, chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper and zinc, These metallized azo compounds have never been considered as dyes for the known 20 fibers and since they are colored compounds they have heretofore been used in coloring materials into which pigments could be directly incorporated, or by incorporation of the colors with organic solvents in lacquers, etc.

25 The water insoluble metal complexes of the mono-azo dyes derived from resorcin or from the dihydroxy naphthaleneslas the coupling component are isolated from acid solutions in the manner heretofore disclosed in the prior art, for when they are isolated from alkaline solutions they are water soluble. I

The colors exhibited by these compounds on nylon vary widely depending upon the constitution of the azo dye and the particular metal employed and while the affinity of the colors of this class for nylon also varies widely, as a rule they show good afiinity for the fiber and exhaust from the dye bath quite completely even when the bath is used in large volumes.

An example of the general procedure which may be used in applying these colors to nylon is given to illustrate theinvention, together with a listof metallic complexes of mono-azo dyes illustrating the types of compounds that may Example 0.5 part of the copper complex of the dye 4- ni-tro-z-amino-pbenol coupled to phenyl-methylpyrazolone is ground to a thin smooth paste with By the expression waterinsoluble metallic be employed. It is to be'understood, however,

Do Anthrsnlllc acid.-. o-nitro-i-amino-phenol I-nagb o-. n Plaamic acid Lil-din ,Do 1.1

igl itloro-zsmino henlol.-. 5.51mi o! ro-Hminop eno A-dihydroxy-q Do l.o-dihydroxy-naph containing chromium. cobalt, nickel and copper are of particular interest in dyeing nylon because oi their shades and general good fastness properties. The copper complexes, however, in genand the temperature of the bath raised gradually 5 eral exhibit the best amnity and general iastness to 190 F. At this temperature the material is propertie turned frequently during 45 minutes after which We claim: it is removed from the bath, washed with warm- Material comprlsins nylon in which the water containing a small amount or soap and nylon is dyed with a metallized mono-ass dye then with fresh cold water. The material is dyed 10 which when applied to the nylon is in water ina pleasing golden brown shade of excellent light uble f rmi'astness, 01' good iastness to washing, to'alkaline 2. Material mprising nyl in which the perspiration and to hot moist pressing. nylon is dyed with a metallic complex of an o- By similar procedures other unsullonated y r xy mono-azo dye which when applied to ,monazo dyes containing one or more metals in 15 he ny n i in W r in l ble form.

complex union may be applied to nylon. In the 3. Material comprising nylon in which the above example the concentration or the dye may nylon is dyed with a metallic complex of a monobe varied in accordance with the usual-practice a dye i d y p nsan o-hydrox dim depending upon the'depth of shad desired, compound with resorcinol, which when applied The following metallizedazo compounds dye go to the nylon is in water insoluble form.

nylon when applied by the procedure as above Ma ri l pr si nylon in which the given in: the following colors: nylon is dyed with a copper complex of a mono- IDisso component Couplingcomponent Metslinoomplex -Coloron nylon l-ohloroi-aminophenol i-pbenyls-mnhyi-s-pymolona chrominmlnn Brown-orange.

D o Cobalt Do. Do o Nickel Yellow.

i-nitro-Hminophenol .o. Copper Orange.

Do..... 0 Chroml Rod-oranga Do- 0 Cobalt Orange.

k "38 am the! ngcm' Blue-red n n Cihggginm Violet-brown. D a do Cobalt Red. n el Do.; D 4 Do D Do Do Do commas-am iaa'tasai t-nltro-S-aminop nol smphni lln n ihas l-a-nioth l-syrasclonc.... zy-amonaphtb olug Violet.

Unless otherwise specified in the table the metals exhibit their usual valence.

aao dye obtained by coupling an ortho-hydroxy compound with resorcinol, which complex when or other solvent and dispersed by rapidly diluting with water which may contain a small amount of soap or similar reagent.

The dyes may also be incorporated in a disparsing agent, such as dextrin, by a grinding or milling operation. and then be employed as a paste or after drying-and grinding they may be used in powder form for they are readily dispersed in water particularly where a dispersing agent has been incorporated into the dextrin mass. As pointed out above; any 0! the metals having a molecular weight or from 50 to 65.38 may be employed in the formation of these color complexes to produce compounds that may be applied to nylon by the usual processes for applying dispersed colors to acetate silk. These dyes may be used in mixtures with the dispersed cellulose acetate dyes since they are applied to nylon by the same procedure used in applying the acetate dyes to nylon. Those compounds applied to the nylon is in'water insoluble form.

5..Material comprising nylon in which the nylon-is dyed with a copper complex of an 0- hydroxy mono-azo dye which when applied to the nylon is in water insoluble form.

6. Material comprising nylon in which the nylon is dyed with a nickel complex or an ohydroxy mono-azo dye which when applied to thenylon is in water insoluble form.

7. Material comprising nylon in which the nylon is dyed with a cobalt complex oi an 0- hydroxy monoeazo dye which when applied to the nylon is in water insoluble form.

-=8.- Material comprising nylon in which the nylon is dyed with a copper complex of the monoazodye obtained by coupling diazotized a-nitro- 2-amihophencl'with resorcinol, which complex when applied to the nylon is in water insoluble form.

DONOVAN E. KVAIJNES. BOYCE G; CARSON. 

